Drop Sugar, Gain Headaches?

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CrepedCrusader
CrepedCrusader Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been at this for a few weeks now. I have been trying to add a new thing to work on each week to improve my nutrition and not just take in take in less calories. This week I started working on sugar. I dropped the sugar from my coffee ( drinking it black isn't as bad as I thought it would be) and am trying to stick to just naturally occurring sugars. So for the last 4 days the only sugar I have been getting is the stuff in my dairy and fruit for the most part, way way less added sugar than ever before. The last 3 of those 4 days I have gotten a ripping headache by 2 in the afternoon.
I'm really hoping that my body will adjust soon and the headaches will disappear because I like the other changes, my skin is looking amazing.
Anyone else experience anything like this? If so, how long till your body adjusted?
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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
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    There is a thing called "Low Carb Flu" but since you're still eating fruit, I'm not sure you're low carb enough for that. How many grams of carbs are you getting per day and is that total (with fiber) or net (fiber subtracted)?

    Caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of headaches but you said you are still drinking it, just without sugar.
  • alyssa0061
    alyssa0061 Posts: 652 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    There is a thing called "Low Carb Flu" but since you're still eating fruit, I'm not sure you're low carb enough for that. How many grams of carbs are you getting per day and is that total (with fiber) or net (fiber subtracted)?

    Caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of headaches but you said you are still drinking it, just without sugar.

    At how many (or fewer) carbs grams a day does it typically occur? Or is it relative? Say, you go from eating ~300g carbs a day to <100g. You're nowhere near keto levels but are lower carb than a traditional diet. Is it possible to experience it? What about in a situation where you already eat low-ish carbs, ~150g and move to <25g?
  • CrepedCrusader
    CrepedCrusader Posts: 24 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    There is a thing called "Low Carb Flu" but since you're still eating fruit, I'm not sure you're low carb enough for that. How many grams of carbs are you getting per day and is that total (with fiber) or net (fiber subtracted)?

    Caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of headaches but you said you are still drinking it, just without sugar.

    I dropped granola bars, coffee-mate flavored creamer (I made it fit in my calories, but it's a chemical *kitten* storm that had to go), brown sugar in oatmeal, a glass of wine with dinner, etc. I may have been in calorie range but sugar was everywhere. Yesterday was 113 net carbs. The last 4 days I have hit my macros 50/30/20.
  • CrepedCrusader
    CrepedCrusader Posts: 24 Member
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    marm1962 wrote: »
    It took me 2 weeks to get rid of the headache from not putting sugar in my coffee.

    I am not alone:)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
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    alyssa0061 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    There is a thing called "Low Carb Flu" but since you're still eating fruit, I'm not sure you're low carb enough for that. How many grams of carbs are you getting per day and is that total (with fiber) or net (fiber subtracted)?

    Caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of headaches but you said you are still drinking it, just without sugar.

    At how many (or fewer) carbs grams a day does it typically occur? Or is it relative? Say, you go from eating ~300g carbs a day to <100g. You're nowhere near keto levels but are lower carb than a traditional diet. Is it possible to experience it? What about in a situation where you already eat low-ish carbs, ~150g and move to <25g?

    Paging @nvmomketo to answer this
  • flagrantavidity
    flagrantavidity Posts: 218 Member
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    What is your Sodium intake at? For a time I decreased my sodium intake dramatically thinking I was being healthy, then I got major headaches until I increased my sodium intake. (Just a thought)
  • kandisn7
    kandisn7 Posts: 66 Member
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    Literally the exact same thing is happening to me! I completely cut out processed sugar for new years, but am still eating some fruits and very little organic sugar, and I've been getting afternoon headaches.
  • CrepedCrusader
    CrepedCrusader Posts: 24 Member
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    flagrantavidity wrote: »
    What is your Sodium intake at? For a time I decreased my sodium intake dramatically thinking I was being healthy, then I got major headaches until I increased my sodium intake. (Just a thought)

    I try and keep it low, but it is right at the recommendation my Dr. gave me the last time I went in. My BP was a bit high and I am working on getting it down naturally, I'm too young for meds:(
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Sugar is not inhernetly bad for you. There is no reason to cut it out.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    CrepedCrusader wrote: »
    I dropped granola bars, coffee-mate flavored creamer (I made it fit in my calories, but it's a chemical *kitten* storm that had to go), brown sugar in oatmeal, a glass of wine with dinner, etc. I may have been in calorie range but sugar was everywhere. Yesterday was 113 net carbs. The last 4 days I have hit my macros 50/30/20.
    How many calories have you been taking in the last four days?
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    There's no way on earth I would cut sugar from my coffee. Blech. Nothing is worse than plain old black coffee.

    I do count it and keep it at a minimum of two tablespoons a day, with two tablespoons of plain half/half.

    Like said above, you don't have to cut sugar completely. You just have to count it. I lost 50+ without cutting it out completely.
  • cessi0909
    cessi0909 Posts: 654 Member
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    CrepedCrusader wrote: »
    marm1962 wrote: »
    It took me 2 weeks to get rid of the headache from not putting sugar in my coffee.

    I am not alone:)

    The first time I dropped sugar (and I ate A LOT) I had headaches for 5 days, this time it was only a day. I hope they pass soon for you
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    CrepedCrusader wrote: »
    I dropped granola bars, coffee-mate flavored creamer (I made it fit in my calories, but it's a chemical *kitten* storm that had to go), brown sugar in oatmeal, a glass of wine with dinner, etc. I may have been in calorie range but sugar was everywhere. Yesterday was 113 net carbs. The last 4 days I have hit my macros 50/30/20.
    How many calories have you been taking in the last four days?

    This is a good question.

    I honestly don't see how 113 net carbs could lead to a headache, as you are still getting plenty (and carbs get broken down by your body whether they start as sugar or starch).

    1200 calories at 50% carbs would be 150 carbs, so it sounds like 1200 or maybe a bit less, depending on fiber.
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
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    I dropped sugar Jan 1, My headache wasn't too bad and went away after a couple of days. Maybe because I was still eating fruit? No headache now though!
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    You could try to troubleshoot that. Try eating most of your fruits before 2pm, if that solves the problem then you've had a sudden drop in carbs and that's why you are getting headaches, you sleep at night then don't get enough carbs in the morning which could be a trigger. This kind of headache goes away with time if you choose to continue eating lower carb. If it doesn't solve it, try increasing your calories. Sometimes a drastic decrease in calories can cause a headache. Next thing you might want to look into is your sodium intake, you may need to increase it. If that doesn't solve it, look into the foods you are eating now but weren't eating before. If you've introduced anything new, it's possible you have added a headache trigger. If nothing works and after a few days you are still having headaches, it may be unrelated to diet and you may want to visit a doctor.
  • CrepedCrusader
    CrepedCrusader Posts: 24 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    CrepedCrusader wrote: »
    I dropped granola bars, coffee-mate flavored creamer (I made it fit in my calories, but it's a chemical *kitten* storm that had to go), brown sugar in oatmeal, a glass of wine with dinner, etc. I may have been in calorie range but sugar was everywhere. Yesterday was 113 net carbs. The last 4 days I have hit my macros 50/30/20.
    How many calories have you been taking in the last four days?

    This is a good question.

    I honestly don't see how 113 net carbs could lead to a headache, as you are still getting plenty (and carbs get broken down by your body whether they start as sugar or starch).

    1200 calories at 50% carbs would be 150 carbs, so it sounds like 1200 or maybe a bit less, depending on fiber.

    Lot's of fiber in my diet. Basically, having a serving of veg or two every meal if I can manage. I'm new too the macros and net fiber so I hope I'm calculating everything right. And I have been eating between 1300 and 1500 (that's without subtracting exercise calories).

    So far no headache yet today, so fingers crossed they stay away for good.

  • CrepedCrusader
    CrepedCrusader Posts: 24 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    You could try to troubleshoot that. Try eating most of your fruits before 2pm, if that solves the problem then you've had a sudden drop in carbs and that's why you are getting headaches, you sleep at night then don't get enough carbs in the morning which could be a trigger. This kind of headache goes away with time if you choose to continue eating lower carb. If it doesn't solve it, try increasing your calories. Sometimes a drastic decrease in calories can cause a headache. Next thing you might want to look into is your sodium intake, you may need to increase it. If that doesn't solve it, look into the foods you are eating now but weren't eating before. If you've introduced anything new, it's possible you have added a headache trigger. If nothing works and after a few days you are still having headaches, it may be unrelated to diet and you may want to visit a doctor.

    I reviewed new additions like you suggested. I read all the labels on the herbal teas I added to help cut out diet soda. I found roasted chicory in one of them as the second to last ingrediant. Chicory root in granola bars caused me to experience extreme technical difficulties in the intestinal region so I'm going to cut that tea just in case.

    Thanks for the reminder to look more closely even at the seemingly innocent items.
  • amalarangnekar
    amalarangnekar Posts: 15 Member
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    I too, got headaches just like you when I cut down sugar. It definitely gets better if you keep sipping more water and cut down on caffeine.
    Note- My headaches went away once I reduced the use of artificial sweeteners.

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